Telescoping trailer hitch



Nov. l0, 1953 H. R. FORNEY 2,658,769

TELESCOPING TRAIALER HITCH Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l rIIllv/l/vl/IA H. Fi. FDRNEY www Snventor Gttomeg Nov. 1o, 1953 H. R. FORNEY 2,658,769

TELESCOPING TRAILER HITCH Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :inventor Patented Nov. 10, 1953 p f @2,658,769 i TRAIEER iHI'ICH Harold R.:Eonney, Surprise, N ebr. v ,-Applieationianuary 5, 1951, Serial N0.2'04;581

This invention `relates vxto temporary -connections between trailers, IWagons, lfimplementsvl-and the Vlike land tractors, `trucks iandotherrftowing devices, and -in' particular a'telesoopinglhitoh with means forfreadilyeconnecting the parts and also :desiredtoadjustitheiength of the-hitch.

The size -of f'commercial pipe andtuhing `is Vdetermined zley "the 'inside Adian-ieterthereof and the outside diameter is -no't vsufficiently accurate to permit telescoping offene-tube within another without such clearance that the pipes rattle in use.` "-The vcorwentional hitch is subi ected to all kinds Yof Weather and `=for 'this-reason machined tubing, which readily corrodes, is-not `practical for this use. Furthermorefor somemses, `:such as `dumping corn intowa'gons, trucks =and the like, it is -desired to lengthen thehitch so lthat the icorn nmay -be deposited intiboth ends `of -the vehicle.

fWith `lthese -thoughts 1in fmind 4this invention contemplates improvements iin hito-hes lof this 4type `wherein lprojections vare -l punched l into an outer l'itube #to Ycompensate :for ithe-ldifieren'ce hetween .the outside diameter of the innerftube and inside l diameter of;` the 1iouter tube for -pipe, land means is provided 1f or holding `:the tubes in .alignment whereby spaced of #openings ithrough thel itubesi which mrovide Aadjustment in 4the length :of ylthe Jhitch, Imay be vretained vin align-J ment.

Thenbject fof lthisinvention ris, therefore, to provide :means 'zfor l'constrncting :a fliitch of the telescoping .draft or ltrailer .typev wherein conventional Ipipe may be used for :the telescoping elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide afl-iitch -of 4the {telescopi-ng draft or-tra`ilerV type l iniwliichthe lengthis adjustable. l A 5further object of A'the invention isjto'provide an extensiblehitchA for connecting ja ltractor 'or other V*towing fwehicle to a wagon, truck,` implement or-the 1ike,1-in which-the hitch is 4suiiiciendzly ruggedto prevent-the -vehicle being-*towed to creep up or-rol1-against-the towing 'vehicle still further object of'theinventionis toprovide la`-tliloular*telescopmgfhitchcforn'xed of conventionalpipewithmeans thereinif-or eliminating play-'betweenl-the pertsy-andalso means for ad- :justing` fthe length thereof,` -lin V'whici-i the 'fhitch is of a simple -and economical construction.

With vthese and'fo'th'er Aobjects and advantages in View the invention :embodies an louter fpipe having means `on one end thereof for mounting the -hitch -on a `trailer or the l-ike,-an inner 'pipe slidably ,mounted in .the `outer pipe iand having bars @extended `from the -outer end thereof, a vkey on lthe inner Vsurface Lof the-outer pipe and -extended-into 4a slot in the inner Lpipe, and a vpin sldabl-y mounted `in :openings in ithe outer 'pipe and positioned lin a yoke-'on the outer Lsurfaceof the `said outer pipe and resiliently held rinllocking engagement with the inner-pipe hya'spring positioned -in the said yoke. i

Other features and. advantages of fthe inven` tion will appear vfrom `-the following description taken in -connection -with fthe drawings, swherein:

`Figure 1 is fa longitudinal sectionthrough ithe outer pipe `of the "hitch with lthe inner pipe-shown inthe inner position ltherein and with parts -o`f the inner Lpipefloroken` away -and-shown in section.

Figure v2 -is La -plan view -of the hitch with the parte -assembledandwith parts broken away.

Figure 3 iisl'an end elevational Aview 4of *the hitch `looking ytoward the end thereof from-Which the inner tube'extends. l Figure -4 is adetailshowing'a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 illustra-ting "the ehainand pin-receiving openings in `theaipper end Tof the yoke.

AFigure 5 is a cross sectionthrough the-hitch, taken on=line`551of `Figure-1.

Figure '7 is a -sideelevational =view of `thehitch with the `parts shownwon a small scale and with parts 1broken away.

v--Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters idenote corresponding -parts the improveditractor and trailer ordraft Jhitch of this invention includes 1an outer Apipe 11), kan inner pipe '12, a key Mfailockingpin JIfiyanda yoke I\8 for holding the outer-`end of the-pin.

-One -end'ofthe outer pipe 10 is provided with channel virons 20 and 22'whichare secured tothe pipe, `preferably by 'welding as indicated 4at the points 24, and the outer'parallelsurfaces of 'the channel irons are positioned for insertionflaetween the 4walls of 'the notch provided in the steering gear of a wagon or the like, for the conventional tongue ofthe-wagon. An opening 26 which ex` tends `through Ythe webs tof ,the channel irons and pipe positioned to receive -a pin or bolt of "the notch or socket and by which the tongue is usu- Y The openings of the bars 28 and 30 of the inner I pipe are vertically positioned whereby the hitch is free to swing in a horizontal plane, and the opening 2S is horizontally disposed so that the hitch may swing in a, vertical plane. Y

The key I4 is positioned on the inner surface and inthe lower side of the outer pipe I and threaded studs 3c and 38 which extend from the key, Vare positioned 'in openings and 42 in theV wall of the outer pipe. The studs are provided Vwith lock nuts i4 and ll which hold the key in position whereby the keyrextends into a slot 48 in the lower Vside of the inner pipe l2;

As the outer surface of conventional pipe is notiinished `and also as pipe of this type is not made to telescope, an annular area 5i! exists between the outer surface of the inner pipe and inner surface of the outer pipe,rand.in order to prevent the inner pipe rattling in the outer pipe indentations 52 are punched into the outer sur- Vface of the outer pipe and these cause nodes or projections 54 on the Vinner surface of the outer pipe. With these projections skillfully formed the inner pipe is equally spaced from the outer pipe so that one pipeis concentric with the other.

The pinY ItV is slidably mounted in openings 55 and`58 in the wall of the outer pipe it and the Youter end is slidably held in an opening E@ in the outer end of the yoke i8; as shown in Figures l and 4. VThe inner pipe is provided with a pair of openings 62 and ll which are spaced from the Vouter-end, and another pair of openings and 6&3,

that are spaced frornthe opposite end, and both of these 'pairs of openings are positioned to register with the openings 5% and 58 of the outer pipe; and with the pipes held in alignment by the key Min the Vslot lathe pinV I6 will extend through Y vthe pair of openings in the outer end of the inner pipe withrthe pipes in the positions shown in 'Figure l. In the same manner the pinV iii will extend through the openings 66 and 68 in the opposite end of the inner pipe when the inner pipe is drawn outwardly, as illustrated in Figure 7. Y A spring lil is gagement with the inner pipe. The outer endof the springA is positioned against the inner sur-V face ofthe outer end of the yoke i8 and the inner end is Vheld ina cup-shape washer l2 that is positioned on aat washer 'ilhand the fiat washer 'id is held in position byV a pinrlii Awhich extends throughthe pin i5. The lengthof the washer i2 is such that when the outer-end thereof en'- V,gages the outerV end `of the yoke the inner end of Vthe pin IVE is in the opening 5t. ByY this means it 4 i yoke I8. A rope, cable, or the like, which may be attached to the ring 84, may extend to the drivers seat of a towing vehicle or to any suitable point.

With the parts arranged in this manner one end of the hitch may be attached to a wagon, trailer, or the like and the other to a tractor, truck, or other towing vehicle, and when it is desired to release the vehicle being towed it is only necessary to pull upwardly'on the chain 82 so that the pin I6 will be dra-wn from the inner pipe, and the inner pipe will be released.

When it is desired to increase the length of the Ahitch the pin i6 is placed through the pair of openings 66 and 63 of the inner pipe, and the to be obvious that a telescoping draft hitch constructed-.in accordance with my invention is par- Y provided around the pin VIt for resiliently urging the pin inwardly in locking enticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be as-y sembled and operated, and it will also be obviousY that my invention is susceptible of somechange and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out m invention in practice, except as claimed. Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters f Patent, is: Y

l. A trailer hitch comprising an outer pipe having a transversely disposed coupling bolt receiving opening extended @therethrough and spaced inwardly from one end, an inner pipe extended into the end Aof the outer pipe opposite to' the end in which said coupling bolt receiving opening is positioned and having horizontally disposed bars With verticallyrpositioned pin receiving openings therein on the extended end thereof and said openings being spaced inwardly from the ends of the bars, a yoke mounted on the outer pipe, extended upwardly therefrom, and

positioned adjacent to the end thereof into which the inner Vpipe extends, said outer pipe having aligned couplingpin receiving openingsV in the wall thereof and said inner pipe having spaced aligned' openings positioned, selectively, to register With'said coupling pin receiving openingsY of the outer pipe, -a .coupling pin slidably mounted 1n said 'coupling pin receiving openings of the outer pipe and extended through said yoke, re-V silient means for vurging said couplingV pin'V through the coupling pinV receiving openingsof the outer pipeiand into thespaced openings of the inner pipe, and means preventing rotation of the Vinner pipe in the outer pipe whereby saidV openings remain in' 'registering relation, and said Y ,outer pipe having spaced radially disposed pro- VLections, on theinneri surface for retaining the inner pipe substantially centered in the outer Y, inwardlyfrom one end, an inner pipe extended Vintothefend of the outer pipe opposite-to the end in which said coupling bolt receivingopeningis positioned Yand having horizontally,V disposed bars with vertically positioned pin receiving openings therein on the extended end and said openings being spaced inwardly from the ends of the j bars, a UV-shaped yoke mountedonthe V4outer Plpe, extended upwardly therefrorm` and positioned adjacent to the end thereof into which the inner pipe extends, said outer pipe having aligned coupling pin receiving openings in the wall thereof and said inner pipe having spaced openings positioned, selectively, to register with said coupling pin receiving openings of the outer pipe, said yoke being positioned over said coupling pin receiving openings and having an opening aligned with said openings of the outer pipe, a coupling pin having a collar thereon slidably mounted in the ycoupling pin receiving openings of the outer pipe and opening of the yoke, a spring on said coupling pin and positioned between the collar and yoke for urging the pin through the openings of the pipes, said yoke also having a slot therein, a chain extended from the collar of the coupling pin through the slot of the yoke for retaining the coupling pin Withdrawn from the inner pipe, said inner pipe having an elongated longitudinally positioned slot therein, and a key on the inner surface of the outer pipe and positioned to extend into the slot of the in- 6 ner pipe to prevent rotation of the inner pipe in relation to the outer pipe, and said outer pipe having spaced radially disposed projections on the inner surface for retaining the inner pipe in spaced relation to the outer pipe.

HAROLD R. FORN'EY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,259,433 Kitto Oct. 14, 1941 2,286,422 Katcher June 16, 1942 2,415,478 Forney Feb. 11, 1947 2,446,223 Forney Aug. 3, 1948 2,447,737 Christensen Aug. 24, 1948 2,497,234 Mylie Feb. 14, 1950 2,518,816 Powers Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 462,059 Canada Dec. 27, 1948 

